Keen On Retirement

Is your brain getting the workout it needs to keep you mentally sharp in retirement? Medical science has established a pretty clear link between physical and mental health. According to Harvard Medical School, a variety of mental stimulation, paired with regular exercise and a healthy diet, can create new neural connections in your brain, regenerate new brain cells, and even protect the brain against the loss of cells in the future. The Mayo Clinic says that same mix of healthy living and thinking can lower your risk of developing Alzheimer’s or dementia. And CogniFit Research recommends “brain fitness” as a means to maintain working memory, planning ability, focus, and the speed at which we process information. Consider mixing some of these brain-boosting activities into your retirement wellness routine.

The connection between money and happiness has always been one of the most personal and complicated parts of the financial planning process. After all, "happiness" means something different to all of us. And those definitions can change as we progress through life, especially when we're navigating meaningful life transitions. On today's show, we dive into some new research on money and happiness. We also discuss some of the important things in life that money can and can't buy and how a comprehensive financial plan can support your vision of happiness at every stage of your life.

On today's show, we discuss a topic that many of us will deal with from multiple angles: caring for elderly family members. Many baby boomers who are transitioning into retirement have also become caregivers for their parents or older relatives. At the same time, these retirees may be beginning to talk to their children or grandchildren about some estate planning basics and how they want to be cared for if they start to experience a decline later in life. These are some of the most challenging decisions to make and some of the hardest conversations to have. But making a plan while you and the people you're caring for are still healthy and opening up about your wishes with loved ones can make the tough times we all experience in life a little bit easier down the road.

For previous generations of seniors, "retirement" meant the end of work, period. The modern version of retirement often isn't that cut and dry. A growing number of seniors who have achieved total financial independence are "unretiring" not because they need money, but because working in some capacity makes their golden years more purposeful and enjoyable. If any of these thoughts about unretiring ring a bell, it might be time to sit down with your advisor and talk about what returning to the workforce could mean for your financial plan.

I know I say this every time we answer listener questions, but these are some of my favorite episodes of Keen on Retirement. I love hearing from listeners trying to think through crucial financial planning issues and be proactive about their lives. And I'm thrilled that so many folks in our audience took the time to attend our most recent webinar on Retirement Spending, reflect on the info that Keen Wealth's Matt Wilson presented, and send in thoughtful follow-up questions on a wide range of essential topics.

U.S. life expectancy is trending in the wrong direction for the first time in decades. According to data from the Center for Disease Control, in 2014 the average American was expected to live 78.9 years. In 2021, after several years of plateauing life expectancy, that figure dipped to 76.4 years, the sharpest 2-year decline in over 100 years. From a financial planning perspective, Keen Wealth still believes that folks need to prepare for a retirement that's going to last, potentially, decades. But this latest life expectancy data does raise some important issues about what we can do both individually and in our communities to turn these trends around so that we can all enjoy our golden years to the fullest.